Daily Catholic Lectio. Tue, 2 July 2024. Who is this?

Daily Catholic Lectio

Tue, 2 July 2024

Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time – Tuesday

Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12. Matthew 8:23-27

Who is this?

Jesus has authority over nature. It is necessary that we believe in God when we are beset with trials. Each of us must answer in one’s heart to the question, ‘Who is this?’

Sickness, accidents, loss, and death – these realities surround us like storms. We need to feel the presence of God during these moments. And the crisis moments are the faith moments.

In the gospel reading, Jesus calms the sea and the storm. The disciples on the boat forget the presence of Jesus. Jesus rebukes their little faith.

Little faith is the stage between faith and lack of faith. Literally, the disciples are between Jesus and the troubled sea; figuratively, they stand between faith and fear.

There are three reasons for the disciples’ little faith: (a) Fear – though the sea was familiar to them, though God was with them, the disciples were afraid; (b) Eyes on the sea – they had their eyes fixed on the storm, not on Jesus; (c) Forgetfulness – they had forgotten that they had a miracle worker in the boat.

When we are beset with many storms, let us turn our eyes from them, God, and fix them on Jesus. In that moment, we will be able to answer the question, ‘Who then is this?’

In the first reading, the Lord God, through Prophet Amos, condemns the people of Israel for their irresponsibility on their chosen stage.

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Living a life of faith requires effort (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 138).

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy